We explain what SSL certificates are and why they are useful, as part of a solution to encrypting web connections and improving your website’s ranking.
Secure Sockets Layer commonly referred to as SSL is a security standard for encrypting the communication between a web server and the client’s web browser. Although the term is still used in common parlance, the SSL protocol has in fact been replaced with the TLS protocol, which stands for Transport Layer Security. Any website with an HTTPS web address uses the SSL/TLS protocol. Whenever the web browser sees a valid SSL certificate it displays a green padlock icon next to the address. This is a visual cue to the desktop user that all the communication between their browser and the web server is being conducted over an encrypted channel. Any information that is sent across the Internet passes through various intermediary computers before it reaches the destination web server. This means that any of these intermediary computers in between can access transmitted data, which could include information like usernames and passwords, and other sensitive information. SSL certificates mitigate this risk by ensuring that all information sent across the Internet is encrypted in such a manner that only the intended recipient can access it. In fact certain websites, such as banking and payment portals are required by law to undertake certain steps before they can ask users for sensitive information. One of these requirements is to use properly validated SSL certificates. Even if you aren’t asking users for sensitive information, it pays to use a SSL certificate. Back in 2014, Google announced that in its bid to make the web more secure, the search engine had started using HTTPS as a ranking signal. This means that sites that use a valid SSL certificate are considered better and ranked higher in the search results, making a SSL certificate effectively a basic but essential SEO tool. Technically speaking an SSL certificate is a data file on the web server that contains several pieces of information. The most crucial aspect of the certificate is the website’s public key. This is accompanied by the domain name that the certificate was issued for, and details about the individual, or the organization it was issued to. The certificate also contains details about the authority that issued it along with its digital signature.
